Common Conditions

Men with ED May Have Higher Risk of Parkinson’s Disease

Sep 12, 2017

They collected data from the National Health Insurance Research Database, which contains anonymous medical records for most of the Taiwanese population. They identified 3,153 men (average age 57 years) who were first diagnosed with ED between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2010. Next, they identified a comparison group of 12,612 men (average age 53 years) without ED. The men were followed for an average of 5 to 6 years.

After adjusting for age, health conditions, medications, and other variables, the researchers found that men with ED had a 52% higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease compared to men without ED.

If men with ED also had diabetes or high blood pressure, their Parkinson’s risk was twice as high.

The authors noted that other studies have shown a higher incidence of ED in their populations. They explained that ED is “a taboo subject in Taiwan” and that many men do not feel comfortable discussing it.